A prankster hacked into a man’s Facebook account while he was having a routine operation at Maidstone Hospital to tell everyone he had died.

Rod Smith, who went into have a groin operation on Saturday, was shocked when he heard how someone had logged into his account and updated his status to say he had died from ‘complications’ during the procedure.

The 45-year-old from West Peckham, Kent, said he realised something was wrong when his father arrived at the hospital and looked like he had been crying.

Prank: Rod Smith, who went into have a routine operation on Saturday, was horrified that someone hacked his Facebook page and announce he had died

He told his local paper: 'When my dad came to pick me up he looked like he had been balling his eyes out. It is so sick that someone could do that. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it.'

The message read: 'Unfortunately Rod died this afternoon due to complications during an operation at Maidstone Hospital.'

Shocked relatives and close friends were phoning up his mother and father to offer their condolences.

Mr Smith added: 'It’s not the sort of thing you want at their age with people ringing up and asking is it true?

'It’s bang out of order. It would have been devastating for my children if they had seen it.'

The unfortunate post has since been taken down and Kent Police has been informed about the incident.

The sickening post read: 'Unfortunately Rod died this afternoon due to complications during an operation at Maidstone Hospital'. Family and friends even rang his parents to offer their condolences

His mother Ann, 63, said: 'I was furious. Rod’s best friend was upset because he thought it was true. It’s sick. The depths some people go to.

'It was the last thing I needed as everyone rang up to see if it was true.

'If I could get my hands on whoever did this their lives would not be worth living.'

Kent Police has been informed about the incident and advised Mr Smith to contact Facebook administrators to help track down the culprit.